# CVE-2023-52483: mctp: perform route lookups under a RCU read-side lock

> A race condition in Linux kernel MCTP route lookups allows use-after-free, potentially enabling local privilege escalation or code execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-52483, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52483, GHSA-p8h7-jc93-wgq3, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52483

## What is CVE-2023-52483?

CVE-2023-52483 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

mctp: perform route lookups under a RCU read-side lock

Our current route lookups (mctp_route_lookup and mctp_route_lookup_null)
traverse the net's route list without the RCU read lock held. This means
the route lookup is subject to preemption, resulting in an potential
grace period expiry, and so an eventual kfree() while we still have the
route pointer.

Add the proper read-side critical section locks around the route
lookups, preventing premption and a possible parallel kfree.

The remaining net->mctp.routes accesses are already under a
rcu_read_lock, or protected by the RTNL for updates.

Based on an analysis from Sili Luo <rootlab@huawei.com>, where
introducing a delay in the route lookup could cause a UAF on
simultaneous sendmsg() and route deletion.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52483?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-52483?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-52483 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52483 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-52483 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-52483 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52483 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52483/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52483/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52483
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52483
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52483

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52483/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.